How Long Will We Continue to Miss This?

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”   -- Jesus (Matt. 4:17)

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ …you will be saved.” -- Paul (Rom. 10:9)

“Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you….’” – Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20)

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” – Jesus (Luke 6:46)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” – Jesus (Matt. 7:21)

This is not how most evangelicals today present the gospel, and the way of salvation.

In order to be saved, person must ‘confess Jesus as Lord’, acknowledging him to be the Supreme Authority (“King”) over him or her.  For the Lordship of Jesus is the current expression of the kingdom of God.

Becoming a true disciple (= Christian, Acts 11:26) means committing to obey everything Jesus commands.

Jesus himself defined his Lordship in terms of people doing what He says – doing the will of God.

And Jesus warns that just because someone is in the habit of calling Him ‘Lord’ – that person will not be among the saved if they were not an obeyer of Christ’s word.

Far too often this truth is not clearly explained in our presentations of the Gospel.  In fact, far too many evangleicals don’t even seem to be trying to make this clear and, even more bizarre, some evangelicals deny that this proclamation of Jesus as Supreme Authority is even necessary, or even accurate.

Tragically, instead of urgently and boldly proclaiming this true message concerning the way of salvation, too much of the evangelical church seems committed people-pleasing ‘preaching,’ presentations and programs that do much more entertaining than faithful evangelizing of the lost (or edifying of the saved) – which is just what the apostle Paul warned would happen  (2 Timothy 4:1-5)